An assessment of the Vine Pull scheme: a case study of the southern vales of south Australia

In 1986 the Commonwealth government implemented a Vine Pull Scheme to restore stability to Australian viticulture. This paper draws on interviews conducted with about half of the growers involved in the scheme in the Southern Vales region of South Australia and is an attempt to evaluate the implementation of the scheme in a small viticultural district. In general, this scheme has been unsuccessful because it was not effectively means tested. This enabled many growers who already had the financial resources to restructure their farms to take advantage of the scheme. In addition, the administration of the scheme did not focus on the particular grape varieties that needed to be removed. This study demonstrates that what is required is a long term commitment to restructuring all facets of the industry on a regional basis.